The countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve was more than a welcome to 2024.

For me, it was the lead-up to the moment I’d officially retire from the University of New Mexico.

3, 2, 1… Happy New Life!

To Do List Done

I’ll turn 68 in 2024. Ten of those years were serving as a Professor of Practice in the UNM Communication and Journalism Department.

I’ll always be glad for the trust and support of the faculty and students at UNM.

Back in 2013, I was brought in to advance our teaching by giving students more real-world journalism experience. It worked out pretty well.

I consider my biggest hightlights to be my creation of the student-powered news site, New Mexico News Port. That, and the creation of The New Mexico Local News Fellowships and Internships Program. 

We’ve not only given those students hands-on, multimedia publishing opportunities — often their first professional bylines — but we’ve also established strong ties with media partners around the state, opening doors for graduates to step into entry-level jobs.

As a teacher, you enjoy your successes vicariously through students who succeed. I’m tracking dozens of them now on LinkedIn and that will continue to be very satisfying.

End of the Encore

For me, full-time teaching was an encore career, following 30 years of broadcasting news at public media stations around the country. Throw in the military experience before that and you get some 45-years of mission-driven, public service.

Time for a little more “me time,” as they say.

Still Working, But Not Too Much

I set up my public media consulting company MVM Consulting after leaving San Diego for Santa Barbara, taking on big projects for NPR, CPB, PRNDI and PRPD. I wrote a news director training guide, ran a census of all journalists in public media, and conducted years of workshops for news managers.

To this day, I still have clients around the country for advising, planning, editing and training. I’ll look to continue these kinds of projects.

I like to think I can continue to bring service and value to the world of values-driven journalism.

So What Next?

That’s the big question, which I now have time to ponder.

When you are as work-centered as I’ve been all these years, you need to free up your time, your body, and your mind…  allowing yourself to look up, look around, and find the freedom to go where you’re drawn. That will take a little time to unfold, but at least it now CAN unfold.

One thing I know… my life’s path has been guided by a rewarding series of relationships with friends, colleagues, students, clients, family, and loved ones. I’ll be glad to have time now to revisit and refresh those important connections.

What are you doing in 2024 and beyond? Let’s be in touch!